“Former Republican State Sen. Jack Martins will enter the race for Nassau County executive … Martins, a former Mineola mayor who ran unsuccessfully for Congress last year, is expected to secure the nomination of the Nassau Republican Party when it meets Thursday, according to a senior party source … Martins, 49, of Old Westbury, is expected to announce his candidacy officially Wednesday at Village Hall in Mineola …”

I thoroughly covered Martins’ congressional campaign last year so no need to rehash all that. He’s a piece of crap.

I would like to comment on the April 18 article about Senator Squadron’s bill prohibiting gun ownership for those who commit so-called hate crimes. According to the article: “Squadron says New York has a duty to take actions that reject acts of …discrimination in any form because they violate the nation’s core values.”

This is laughable. New York’s Sullivan Act governing pistol licensing was specifically written to discriminate against Italian and Sicilian immigrants at the turn of the 20th century. A quick call to the Legislative Library would get him a copy of the original bill and supporting documentation while half a minute of Internet searching would bring up even more including the history of its sponsor, Tammany Hall thug “Big Tim” Sullivan.

If Senator Squadron had a genuine interest in ending discrimination he would introduce legislation to abolish the Sullivan Act and bring New York in line with the 42 other states that have right-to-carry concealed firearms laws.

“… Mr. Zeldin said he stands by his co-sponsorship of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would allow gun owners with a concealed carry permit to cross state lines with their weapons. “I would hope it would be passed and signed into law,” he said …”

“Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told “Special Report with Bret Baier” Thursday that “I think the odds are very good” that a second seat on the Supreme Court will fall vacant this year. “If not this summer, next summer,” Cruz told Bret Baier. “You know, judges don’t like it when people kind of nudge them out, so they’ll go when they decide to go.” …”

Please, please, please let it be Ginsberg who goes. She’s 84 and looks like half-past death now.

“… Hardiman established an expansive view of the right to own and carry firearms under the Second Amendment in his opinion disagreeing with a New Jersey law that required people applying for concealed weapons permits to show a “justifiable need” to be armed in public. Although Hardiman was alone among three judges in his opposition to the law, he wrote that it was unconstitutional because the need for self defense exists both inside and outside the home. Hardiman also authored an opinion in support of restoring the rights to possess weapons of two men convicted of non-violent misdemeanors. He was in the majority, finding that the Second Amendment barred gun ownership only for people convicted of violent crimes. But Hardiman went further than his colleagues in the majority, writing a concurring opinion that even violent felons could regain Second Amendment rights if their crimes were far in the past and the ex-offender had lived a law-abiding life since his arrest …”

“… “I have no doubt I am the only person running for county executive who’s ever fought for and passed real legislation, progressive legislation,” Lavine said recently while citing his support for the Marriage Equality Act and gun safety laws. “Of all the people running for this office, I am the only one with true progressive credentials.” …”

The CE job is administrative/managerial, not legislative. Neither of these two items have anything remotely to do with overseeing county government.

“I support the Second Amendment that allows citizens in good standing to keep and bear arms. I support safe and responsible gun ownership and smart programs to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.”

It is entirely possible Maragos has since changed his position. Even so, he still would not be as detestable as the other two so gun owners should support him through the primary.

“… Senator Daniel Squadron, D-Brooklyn, introduced an amendment that would categorize hate crimes as serious offenses in relation to the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, or SAFE Act … Specifically, the bill (S.5569) would amend section 265.00 of the state Penal Law by adding hate crimes to the list of “serious offenses” that can prohibit someone from possessing firearms … Squadron says New York has a duty to take actions that reject acts of bigotry, hatred, misogyny, homo-phobia, racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and discrimination in any form because they violate the nation’s core values. Allowing those who commit and are convicted of hate crimes to possess guns only gives them a fatal tool to spread their hate.” …”

I’m confidant that Squadron never bothered to actually research the origins of New York’s gun laws, particularly the Sullivan Act, which was specifically designed to discriminate against Italian immigrants. A call to the Legislative Library, 518-455-4000, would get him a copy of the bill and supporting documents, while a quick internet search would bring up even more.